Progreso (Merida), Mexico Port Reviews

Our own excursion in Progreso! We took free shuttle bus to Progreso & walked thru bus terminal & found a blue double decker bus. Got a city tour for $5 each & were only ones on bus. Had great guide pointing things out. Was half the price of the one bus company was trying to sell. After tour walked one block to check out the Municipal Market. Broad produce area and asked about things we had never seen before. Also looked around the myriad of food vendors & decided we'd be back for lunch. Got back on main street and headed towards the public beach. we happened upon a "flea market" which was actually a nice collection of local vendors. Bought some t-shirts & souvenirs & hubby got a great massage. Looked around and saw lots of small restaurabts, bars & coffee shops in the area around the flea market. BIG NOTE: Clean restrooms at flea market. Just tip the lady handing out tissue. Went back to Market and got tacos and empanadas at the biggest food vendor in the market. Also got fresh mango juice nearby and had a great lunch for about $10. Headed back to bus terminal & checked out vendors on the way, saw fresh green coconut stands and a large supermarket. Got shuttle and headed back to port. We were in town for about 4 hours and had a great outing. nice people, safe area to walk around and contributed to the local economy. Never listen to the folks that say there's nothing to do in Progreso!!!!

First time I came to progreso the water was very dirty, the second time around the water was beautiful clear blue. The area is poor. This is not Americanized like cozumel. You take a bus ride into the town from the pier (4 miles long) and I had to sit through a excursion presentation before I got off of the bus. Make sure to take water as they are not air conditioned. Inside the town you will find very cheap prices on everything from massages ($10 for 30 minutes) to purses and souvenirs. I for one love the traditional Mexican feel, however there were people on the bus intimidated to get off because of the area. Don't judge a book by its cover. I am a young blonde American girl walking around by myself in progreso. No one bothered me. I felt safe.

I enjoy going to Progreso. Someone needs to go with an open mind/open heart. If the locals do not change you, you need to check to see if you have a heart. They are a small poor fishing village who depends on the visitors to help make their living. I get a massage by Maria at the beach, 30 minutes for $15. We had 2 sodas and a margarita at Ladios for $10, they serve free chips, salsa & dips when you purchase a drink. They have a city bus tour that is an eye opening experience.

4 mile long pier, the longest for cruise ports (so they told me). FREE bus takes you into town where there are many vendors selling items! We went to the FREE public beach, sat at a table on the beach ordered some food, drank, people watched, $15 massages! When finished sat near water, soaked up some sun with my feet in the sand. The area is heavy with vendors and heavily policed! I felt safe and had a great relaxing time. The city is definitely a diamond in the ruff, but I enjoyed every second! (Souvenirs are cheaper here then Cozumel)

Progresso was a hidden gem! You take a free shuttle from the ship to downtown Progresso, they've got many tours and excursions from here, but we just followed the signs and walked 3 blocks to the beach. We loved the beach! Tons of authentic Mexican shops and restaurants... And good thing our bad, we went to a corner shop, and they didn't take usd. I thought it was cool, my dad really wanted his soda... I can't wait to return to Progresso!

Although we weren’t supposed to go to this port the fog delayed our leaving Mobile so this port was substituted for Cozumel. We didnt have an excursion booked for Cozumel so we werent sorry to go somewhere new. We really liked the port. There was good shopping dockside and a free shuttlebus to town. The town is very much old Mexico and is charming. We loved strolling the streets. You can easily walk to a free beach from the transportation center. We had a great lunch in one of the many streetside cafes. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful. We caught the free shuttle back to the ship easily. It was a nice, hot, sunny day. I would definitely go back to Progreso!

I actually enjoyed Progresso. We didn’t go to the beach. We took the shuttle to the terminal and walked toward the beach. It was very interesting to see the culture, eat the local food and we even went to the bank. Progresso is not a resort. It is a look into the real everyday life of the citizens there trying to make a living.

We took our first cruise the 2nd week of January. Not knowing what to expect in Progreso, or Cozumel, we decided to play it by ear. Everyone kept saying the prices were better in Cozumel so my wife avoided shopping and haggling, which she enjoys. BIG mistake. I get the whole poor area and feeling unsafe comments; however, in hindsight, we felt we missed a better opportunity in Progreso. I did not feel unsafe, but the vendors were pushy. I really did not expect them to be anything other than pushy. They are trying to make a few dollars (pesos). Nothing wrong with that. My wife said she could have gotten better bargains in Progreso hard we not been told Cozumel was better. At the end of his day, I would spend my shopping time in Progreso and fun time in Cozumel.

Great port to do an educational shore excursion. I went to Uxmal Mayan ruins. Seeing the pyramids was very neat plus there is one that you can climb to the top. Just do not forget water. It can be hot there, stay hydrated.

Visited: Aug 12, 2019

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I like this port because its real Mexico..the beach is free and the massages on the beach is cheap...it appears to be a poor place but like I said.,it's real here...fishing is what they do here to eat..

Visited: Feb 05, 2018

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